Electric-arc lamp



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ELECTRIC ARG LAMP.

No. 360,254. Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

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ELECTRIC ARG LAMP.

No. 360,254. Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

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JOHN TREGONING, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT. i

ELECTRIC-ARC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,254, dated March 29, 1887.

Application filed September 24, 1886. Serial No. 214,411. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN TnEGoNrNG, of the city and'county of Hartford, Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Arc Lamps, which are described in the following specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

' work similarly controlled has been utilized for the same purpose. The present invention is designed to produce superior regulation by the use of both of these devices conj ointly.

The best mode in which Ihave contemplated the application of the principle of my invention is shown in said drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of said improvements supported in a suitable frame. Fig.,2 is a side view of the samenexcepting a portion of said frame. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the same through said electro-magnet, omitting the clock mechanism, and showing the device in the act of ordinary feeding. Fig. 4 is a similar section showing the device in the act of extraordinary feeding anda cut-out in operation. Fig. 5 is a rear View of said clock mechanism in said position of ordinary feeding. Fi g.6 is a fragmentary view of the clockescapement in said position of extraordinary feeding. Fig. 7 is a similar external view. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the path of the current through the lamp.

In these views the numeral 1 denotes a differential electro-magnet having a primary helix, 2, which is connected in series with the carbons of the lamp, and a secondary helix, 3, which is placed in a derived circuit about said carbons. This magnet may be constructedin any convenient or ordinary form, but preferably in a form which is exhibited in Letters Patent No. 336,17 6, issued to me February 16, 1886, for an improvement in electric-arc lamps. Helix 2 is wound upon asolenoid brass spool, 4, which is attached to said frame 5. A softiron core or armature, 6, is movable perpendicularly within spool 4, and is enlarged and extended below the same inthe form of a spool or bobbin,7,upon which is located said helix 3. A cylindrical iron shell, 8,w`hich is connected with core 6 by means of spool 7, contains helix 3, and loosely covers the whole of helix 2,or a variable portion of the same, like a thimble, and is provided with convenient perforations, 61, for connecting wires, which are hereinafter mentioned. The carbon -rod 14, being a brass tube which is provided in the usual manner with a terminal carbon-holder, (not shown in the drawings,) is also provided, in the usual manner, with a rack, 17, for engagement with pinion 1S, which is hereinafter mentioned.

The clutch which is involvedv in the invention may, like magnet l, be of any ordinary or convenient construction. I prefer, howevcr,a modification of the well-known ringclntch. This modification consists of two rings, 9 and 10, which are hinged together about rod 14. The upper ring, 9, consists ot' a fiat annular body or ring proper, and also a toe,11, and a heel, 12, projecting therefrom. By means of apin or pivot, 16, passing through toe 11, the clutch is hinged to the branched clutch-lever 13, which is hereinafter described. Heel 12 reaches downward from the body of said ring, and has a laterally-concave front surface for engagement with carbon rod" 14. The pin or pivot 15, by which rings 9 and 10 are hinged together, passes through the middle portion of heel 12.

The lower ring, 10, is a segmental collar of irregular form, having one side cut away for the accommodation of said rack. This collar has atoe, 19, projecting forward as a means of tripping the clutch, and an upper rear excavation for the accommodation of heel 12. Pin 15 passes through the opposite walls of this excavation. Clutch-lever 13 is a brass bar pivoted at one end in a standard, 20, which rises from the lamp-frame 5. v The middle part of this lever is divided into two branches,

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which pass the clutch upon opposite sides and then reunite. The opposite ends of pin 16 are in these branches, respectively. The other end of lever 13 is hinged to a brass bar, 2l, which is a central prolongation of magnet 1. An insulated spring, 22, which is attached to frame 5 and to lever 13, tendsto lift the latter, and is provided with a screw and nut, 62 and 63, by which the tension of that spring can be varied. A bushing, 23, adapted to the form and size of the rack and rod 14 and 17, is inserted in the lower plate of frame 5,where it is adjusted as a screw by check-nut 24. The upper surface of this bushing presents a fiat bed under said clutch. The upper plate of frame 5 is also provided with a suitable bushing (which is not shown in the drawings) for said rod and rack, and with a brush, 25', for completing the contact of said frame with said rod. Said clock mechanism consists of a train of gears supported from frame 5 by frame 30, a terminal pinion, 18,l of said train meshing with rack 17, an escapement-wheel and pallet, 26 and 27, and a pendulum, 28, connected with said pallet by arbor 29. This mechanism includes a ratchet-wheel, 58, which is mounted upon the same arbor with pinion 18, and is provided with a pawl, 59, in the usual manner. One end of arbor 29 is movable up and down in a slot, 31, in frame 30 far enough to effect the alternate engagement and disengagement of pallet 27 and scape-wheel 26. A spring, 60, acting upon arbor 29, tends to maintain such engagement. Depending from arbor 29 is a link or bar, 32,which is provided with a screw-thread and with an adjust` ing-nut, 33. This link passes loosely through an ear or lug, 34, on shell 8, but said lug may, if preferred, be attached to the movable portion of magnet 1 independently of shell 8.

In the lower plate of frame 5, and insulated therefrom, is set a cut-out box, which is directly under magnet 1. This box consists of an external cylindrical shell, 35, a stick of carbon, 36, concentric therewith, and an intermediate cylindrical bushing, 37. Shell 35 is provided with a binding-post, 38. An adjusting-screw, 39, passing through the bottom of shell 35 and provided with aknurled. head, 40, and check-nut 41, is adapted to raise and lower bushing 37. In the bottom of bushing 37, and under carbon stick 36, is a spiral spring, 42, which tends to raise that stick to the position shown in Fig. 3. ln the upper part of stick 36 is a central longitudinal perforation to receive the point of contact-piece 43. The latter is a conical piece of brass terminating bar 21, and pointing downward into the open end of shell 35, bushing 37, and carbon stick 36.

Upon the under side of frame 5 is a manual switch, (shown in Fig. 1,) consisting of a contact-arm, 44, a finger-piece thereon, 45, a contact-piece, 46, upon which that arm is pivoted, and an insulated contact-piece, 47,which is within reach of said arm. A resistancecoil, 48, having a resistance equal to that of `26, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

the lamp, is placed upon a side bar of frame 5, and is insulated therefrom. The insulated binding-post screws 49 and 50 are the positive and negative terminals of the lamp, respectively.

Such being the elements of the lamp embodying my invention, their electrical connections not already specified are as follows: rTerminal 49 is connected by large wire 51 with frame 5 and contact-piece 46. Frame 5 is connected with rod 14 by brush 25, as already stated, and miscellaneously otherwise. The lower carbon is connected with helix 2 by wire 52. Contact 47 is connected by wire 53 with terminal 50, and by wire 54 with resistancecoil 48. Helix 2 is connected with terminal by wires'55 and 53. One end of helix 3 is soldered to the core of the same, and the other end of that helix is connected with the negative terminal 50 by fine wire 56 and large wire 53. Binding-post 38 is connected with resistance-coil 48 by large wire 57. By means of terminals 49 and 50 the lamp is placed in circuit with a generator in the usual manner.

This invention further presents all other features and particulars of construction which are necessarily involved in its mode of opera tion, as hereinafter explained.

Such being the construction and electrical connection of the elements of said lamp, the mode of operation is as follows: When no current is supplied, the movable parts of magnet 1, including shell 8, bar 21, and lug 34, are in their lowest positions. Contact-piece 43 is, by the weight of that magnet, forced down into the open end ofthe cut-ont box and rests in contact with bushing 37 and carbon 36, as shown in Fig. 4. Carbon 36 is at the same 'time held down in bushing 37, and spring 42 is thus compressed by the same weight. By reason of the position of bar 21, lever 13 is also held down in its lowest position, as seen in Fig. 4, and rod 14 is released from the clutch of rings 9 and 10. The carbons of the lamp are in contact with each other. Lug 34 is at the same time in engagement with nut 33, as shown in Fig. 6. Arbor 29 is held by link 32 in the bottom of slot 31, and pallet 27 is thereby disengaged from scape-wheel lf, now, in this position of affairs a normal current be supplied from the generator and interrupted at switch-arm 44, that current passes from terminal 49, by the way of wire 5l, to frame 5, and there for an instant divides into two portions, one of which proceeds from frame 5, through various metallic connections, to bar 21, thence through the cutout to binding post 38, and thence through wire 57, resistance-coil 48, wires 54 and 53 to terminal 50, while the other of said portions, being the greater of the two, proceeds from frame 5, by brush 25 and other metallic connections, to carbon rod 14, then passes successively through the carbons of the lamp, wire 52, helix 2, and wire 55 to wire 53, there reunites withv the first-mentioned portion of said current, and

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passes on by wire 53 to terminal 50. An inappreciable portion ot said current passes at the same time from frame 5 to wire 53 by the way of spool 4, core 6, helix 3, and wire 56. This distribution, however, is but momentary, for the passage of current through heliX 2in the described course en'ergizes magnet 1. The movable parts of that magnet areimmediately drawn upward, and the action of the cut-out is interrupted by the lifting of bar 21 and contact-piece 43. The latter is followed for a short distance in its retreat by carbon 36, for the purpose of preventing the sparking which might otherwise occur between contacts 43 and 37 at the time of separation. This interruption causes a redistribution of said current through helices 2 and 3 in the courses already delineated. At the same time said clutch, be-

ing brought into action by the tilting of lever 13, grips rod 14, and thereby raises said upper carbon away from said lower carbon sufficiently to allow the formation between them of a voltaic arc of the normal length; also, lug 34, being carried upward by the described motion of magnet 1, ceases to hold link 32 in the described position of depression. Arbor 29 therefore rises, under the action of spring 60, to the top of slot 31, and pallet 27 engages the scape-wheel 26. vVheneven now, by ordinary consumption the carbons become unduly separated, clutch-lever 13 is lowered by the action of magnet 1, said clutch trips by hitting its toe 10 upon'bushing 23, and thus releases rod 14. The latter, then sliding downward, is retarded in its motion by the clock mechanism, and moves so slowly that said clutch has ample time in which to grip'the rod again, and over-adjustment is avoided.

Ifa carbon should break, or any other interruption of the main circuit should occur, during the operation of the lamp, helix 2 becomes inoperative, the feed mechanism and the out-out are brought at once to the position first above described, and rod 14, being free from the retarding operation of pallet 27 and Y pendulum 28, slides down freely until the carbonsare brought together. The ratchet and pawl 58 and 59 allow rod 14 to be raised by hand, when necessary, without reversing the entire clock mechanism. When the manual switch below the frame 5 is closed by the contact of its several parts, the current passes from terminal 49 to terminal 50 by the way of wire 51, contacts 46, 44, and 47, and wire 53. The length of the arc between the carbons is regulated by varying the tension of spring 22.

Acknowledging the state of the art of electric lighting as disclosed in a certain patent, No; 274,999, which was granted to F. G. Waterhouse, April 3, 1883, in which a train of gear-wheels is subjected to the action of a detent, as distinguished from retarding mechanism,

I claim as my invention- 1. In an electric-arc lamp, a carbon rod which is provided witha rack, a friction-clutch which engages said rod, and a train of gearwheels which engages said rack, in combination with retarding mechanism and with automatic engaging mechanism,whereby said retarding mechanism may be brought into engagement with said train of gear-wheels and disengaged therefrom, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In an electric-arc lamp, a clock-train having a pallet and scape-wheel which are separable from each other, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

3. In an electric-aro lamp, a clock-train having a pinion which engages a rack upon the carbon rod, and having a pallet and scapewheel which are separable from each other, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

4. In combination with a pallet and scapewheel, a spring which is adapted to maintain an engagementbetween them, and means for interrupting said engagement by overpowering said spring, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

5. A train ofclock-work including an escapement whose pallet and-scape-wheel are separable from each other, in combination with a spring which is adapted to maintain an engagement between said pallet and scape-wheel, and with an electro-magnet by whose action said engagement can be interrupted, substanl tially in the manner and for the purpose specined.

6. As a means of transmitting motion from the armature of an electro-magnet to the pallet-arbor of a separable clock-escapement, a lug which is supported from said armature, in combination with link which is attached to said arbor, and is provided with an adjustingnut which is adapted to engage said lug, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specied.

7. A cut-out consisting of an external tubular box, an internal carbon stick, and an intermediate bushing, all open at one end for the reception of a pointed contact-piece, said carbon being supported upon a spring and said bushing upon an adjusting-screw, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

8. In an electric-arc lamp, a carbon rod which is provided with a rack, clock mechanism which engages said rack, and mechanism for interrupting the engagement of the pallet and scape-wheel of said clock mechanism, in combination with an automatic cut-out, a frictionclutch, and an` electro-magnet whereby said IOC IIO

cut-out, clutch, and interrupting mechanism 

